HIM? A candidate? (Search thread)

[Na]

When the first dragon was sighted, Kekara had been deep in the work of an ancient record in the Record room. He would have ignored the sighting and the next few sightings as more dragons were seen and it soon became clear that there was a Search coming to the hold had Selk not barged in tail twitching excitedly. Looking up from what he was reading, he frowned slightly at her even though it didn't hold for long. Selk was one of the few people who liked him for who he was and she was the number one in his heart it was protective instincts of course but still. "The Search riders are here," Selk said excitedly, seemingly unaware that she'd interrupted her brother at his work. "So?" he asked, putting down the skin with care, "That matters why?" He didn't care, and personally thought that Impressions were simply a ritual used by the privileged to prove that they could handle the dragons to keep the dragons away from the common folk. People had protested this when he brought it up and it had sparked an argument that ended with him saying that he'd accept that Impressions were important when he had proof. "Mother wants you to be there." Selk insisted, "So you can talk to the Riders and get them to tell you that Impressions are important." Kekara snorted softly, but stood knowing that he wouldn't be able to hide from the combined force of his mother and younger sister. "Alright let's go, but I don't think I'll change my mind about Impressions. The Riders'll make statements that say 'oh yes Impressions are important' but when it comes down to it only those with power and who have families in power actually Impress a dragon." he said as he followed his sister out of the records room for the first time in a while. In the open air, he found himself squinting in the blinding sunlight, and ignored the scandalous looks the other members of the Hold shot him.

[redwerecat]

Ah, another beautiful day doing the best job in the entire world.

You are being sarcastic again, aren't you. Bukharmath's dry response to his rider's mental declaration was laced with amusement as the pair glanced at the slowly assembling mass of Holders awaiting the Search. One of the other riders, the greenrider with the dark hair who liked to talk so much, he was giving the speech about how a search worked, where the eggs were laid, etc. M'khor was just glad he didn't have to give the tired speech again...

M'khor didn't move a muscle outwardly, continuing his silent assessment of the holders, but the gentle mental laughter he sent back to his dragon was enough of a response. Bukharmath let none of this show, ducking his head to get a closer look at a small girl. M'khor stood at his side, eyes locked on some point on the horizon, appearing for all the world like a shadow to the dragon. He had his hood down (something about putting on a friendly front, his wingleader had said) and his hair tied back, but he still managed to present a rather severe figure.

Nope, not her. Bukharmath raised his head again, and gave a quiet rumble of answer to his rider. He flicked his gaze sideways to take stock of the rest of the search party, trying to get an idea of how many they'd be taking back with them... this was never his most favorite job, but Bukharmath seemed to take great pride in his assessment abilities. So, of course, M'khor Searched when he wasn't otherwise occupied...

Then again, given his other job at the Weyr, it was a rather interesting preview of those he'd eventually be raising to full rider status come the hatching of Mareth's eggs... M'khor's attention was caught as a pair of youths emerged from a tunnel, the female looking excited, the young man looking... nonplussed. And getting rather interesting looks tossed his way...Which immediately caught M'khor's attention.

"Sir, madam, would you step forward to be assessed?" He said softly, pitching his voice just loudly enough to be audible. It was half question, half an order. He wasn't sure how much the pair of tailed youths had heard of the typical search speech- or if they perhaps had some other motive for coming out. There were always interested parties when dragons landed...

[Na]

((I just realized how poorly written my first post was, goes to show you can't write anything decent at one in the morning. ^^))

Kekara blinked as one of the dragon riders spoke to him and Selk, he hadn't expected to asked to step forward and wondered if the Rider would regret it when faced with his personality. "Selk's to young to be taking part in any gesture to let people know that you Dragon Riders are superior." he said, stepping infront of his sister, barring his elongated canines. "She's only ten and has a future that doesn't involve being a failed candidate because only those who have any prestige can Impress a Dragon." A strand of greasy blonde patterned hair fell into his eyes and he blew it out again with a sort breath of air. His mother gasped and stepped forward saying quickly. "Please for give him Rider, he doesn't know what he's saying."

Kekara rolled his eyes annoyed and said tartly. "I know what I'm saying, but if I am going to be a laughing stock of the Hold then I'll go back to where people understand me...which means the Records. You guys interrupted me when I could have been on the verge of a breakthrough!" He ran a hand through his hair, fingers catching on the knots that had formed from days without caring for it, before sighing. "If you're all done, may I go back to what I was working on? I don't need this social stuff when there is things to be learned in the Records." he sent this part to the Dragon Rider, as if to prove that he could be courteous to the people who protected the Hold from Thread, not that he really cared. If there was a way to capture some of the Thread and study it with out causing harm to anyone....his thoughts trailed off as he started to imagine the information that could be learned from finding out what exactly the Thread was and if there was a way of cutting off the source.

[redwerecat]

Bukharmath and M'khor stayed stock-still through the beginning of that, regarding the boy calmly as if being berated by nothing more than the distant wind of a butterfly's wings. In fact M'khor rather seemed as if he might fall asleep... By the time a woman stepped forward to apologize, the rider had simply raised his hand and bowed his head, shaking it to brush away her words. "No, madame, do not apologize for his behavior. It is his responsibility to stand by the words he speaks, lest they come back to him." He was keeping an eye on the young tailed man, steady and directing his words to him. "And you, young man, you claim to be learning useful things from your records, but clearly, your records are nothing but slander and lies. I should say a venture out of that room might do you some good." He said, still as placidly as ever, but with the slightest narrowing of his eyes. There was something about the way he lowered his head that reminded some of the caprines his tailed breed took after, and the way they lowered their heads to face a challenge with their horns...

Still, at the time the boy had bared his teeth, Bukharmath had reacted, lowering his head and mirroring the gesture, though, of course, in his case, his teeth were easily as long as the boy's fingers, and set in a narrow-muzzled reptilian head that was now focused entirely on the boy. M'khor held his hand up, again quieting his blue.

"You don't know what you're saying boy." M'khor snapped. "And because of that, you might well become the laughing stock. Prestige? Are you sure? Does the son of a miner with no skills even for that count as 'prestige'? Does a boy lain up his younger years by illness get granted 'superiority' by way only of a dragon's bond?" He never once raised his voice, but he'd slowly been approaching the boy until they were only a few feet apart.

He held out his hand, gesturing to the rest of the riders behind him, and then very gently leveling his finger at the young records-keeper. "And no, you may not leave. Bukharmath likes you." He said, suddenly cracking a tiny smirk. "Or perhaps he simply thinks your arrogance and foolish pride would serve well among the ranks of us 'superior, prestigious dragonriders." He said, making very clearly mocking air quotes around the words.

Behind him, Bukharmath had sat back on his haunches, mantling his wings and snorting. He was giving the boy a vaguely red-tinted glare, but seemed quite satisfied with himself. Yes, just listening to the young man had set of that part of him that resonated with the prospect of Impression, somehow...

"I ask you once more to stand forward for him to get a better impression of you, boy. If you're so smart, and right, as your attitude would give, then you have little to fear. As it is said, one can venture all if one knows one has nowhere to venture to begin with." He said, cryptically.

(Though to be quite honest, the boy was getting on his nerves. What an attitude on this little brat... M'khor was all for 'each to their own' and such, but this boy was almost as bad as the self-important son of a bronzerider thought he was... just opposite. Hmph! Superior... yes, M'khor though, he was superior, if only because he wasn't as much of a self-absorbed brat as this boy was coming off as.)

Calm thyself, mine rider. Bukharmath returned with a little mental chuckle. We've dealt with far worse... after all, you have been known to be more than your fair share of irritating.

Quiet, you.